Three local fires spring up, and one killed in fire near Medical Lake

MOSES LAKE — If going out the front door Saturday morning felt – and smelled – like walking into a giant ashtray, there’s a reason for that.

The Air Quality Index in most of central Washington, including the Columbia Basin, was rated unhealthy by the Environmental Protection Agency, using data from the Washington State Department of Ecology. The AQI, determined by measuring particulate matter in the air, ranged between 163 in Mattawa and 190 in Ritzville. Moses Lake’s AQI was 176, while Quincy was at 182 and Soap Lake was at 189. The air in the Spokane area was even worse, according to the EPA, with AQIs well over 300 in places. For the air to be rated as healthy, the AQI must be lower than 50...

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